


04:59

by misumaru



Category: Show By Rock!! (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Horror, M/M, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 08:02:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5084224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misumaru/pseuds/misumaru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's just a simple shopping trip, nothing out of the ordinary, so why does everything feel a little... 'off' to Shuu?</p>
            </blockquote>





	04:59

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [spook_me](http://spook-me.dreamwidth.org/) challenge on DW, using the prompt "tentacle monster". I... kind of flaked on the picture prompts. -_-; Many thanks to [ldybastet](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LdyBastet) for the super speedy beta! :D
> 
> **Disclaimer:** All characters used in this story are the property of Sanrio.

Today, Shuu had decided, was going to be a good day. He had some cash to burn after finally getting paid for their latest gig, and he was damn sure that he was going to spend it. The sun was shining down as if in approval of this plan and he had his boyfriend at his side - what could possibly go wrong? 

He turned to Rom and gestured to the endless row of shops in front of them. “Where do you want to go?”

Rom shrugged. “This was your idea, remember? I’m just here to lug the bags around.”

“But you do it so well! Besides, it’ll give those wonderful arms of yours a workout.” Shuu wrapped himself tightly around Rom’s bicep and trailed his fingers along the exposed skin to emphasise his point. “I guess we can just walk until we see something. Maybe I should get some new stage gear?”

“You do need a whole new outfit.” Rom grinned as he pointed at the trailing hem of Shuu’s coat, exposing just a hint of tooth. “That coat of yours is starting to get a little bit shabby.”

“It’s meant to look like that! I’ll have you know this coat cost…” He trailed off as his own reflection caught his eye. Shuu let go of Rom’s arm and stood in front of the shop window, squinting up at his hand as he twisted a lock of his fringe back and forth. It must have been a trick of the light - since when had his hair been blond? Hell, why would he want to go blond? It wouldn’t suit his dark and mysterious image, not to mention that Rom and the other guys would just laugh at him. 

He glanced up one last time to make sure the strands between his fingers were still reassuringly black, then he shrugged and ran after Rom. “Slow down, you’re going to leave me behind!”

“Isn’t that more your style?”

Shuu blinked. “Sorry?”

“I said, is something wrong?”

“No, I just must be tired…” Shuu wrapped himself around Rom again, feeling a sudden need for the other man’s comforting presence. It had just been a stupid warped reflection, probably because it was such a wonderful sunny day, so why was he feeling so unnerved? ”Hey, what would you do if I went blond?”

“Mock you forever. Why?”

Ah, he’d been right. Shuu grinned and shook his head. “No reason. Besides, you’re the one complaining about my look.”

“I never said there was anything wrong with it, just that you needed a new coat.”

“The implication was clear!” Shuu sniffed and poked Rom in the ribs, prompting a burst of laughter. 

Feeling a little more settled, Shuu started to look around again. They still hadn’t even attempted to enter any shops yet - maybe he should have come up with a plan before coming out, rather than just wandering aimlessly? It would be rather a poor shopping trip if they didn’t actually manage to buy anything. It was funny though, now that he paid attention, he could see plenty of windows but no actual shop signs… He was certain they’d been there before, had they accidentally wandered into an office district? As he glanced around, something tugged at his sleeve, but when he looked down to see what could have caused it, nothing was there.

He started to walk a little faster, almost pulling Rom along as he sped up along the empty street. Obviously, they were just in the wrong area, so what they needed to do was get the hell out of there, right? The sun had decided to vanish behind a cloud, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something behind them. Which was ridiculous! Not that he wanted to turn around and check… Maybe he’d sneak a peek when they turned the next corner, just to reassure himself that he was being paranoid for no reason. Although there didn’t seem to be any turnings in sight…

He could feel something stroking along the base of his spine, moving slowly down until it worked itself into the fur of his tail; a gentle yet sinuous sensation that made his hair stand on end. Shuu wanted to run, even if it meant that Rom would be laughing at him for days for being scared of his own shadow, but he reminded himself that there wasn’t anything behind them - there couldn’t be! Which meant it had to have been Rom messing around. The simplest explanation, yes? Admittedly, Rom’s tail wasn’t long enough to reach that far normally, but what else could it be?

“Hey, keep your tail to yourself!”

“I’m not doing anything!” Rom slipped his arm out from Shuu’s tight embrace and rounded on him, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I… I don’t know.” Shuu squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm himself, but it didn’t work. Nothing about this trip was making sense – where were the crowds, the traffic? How had they even got here? It had just been the two of them walking along an empty stretch of road for some time now. He took a shaky breath before asking a question he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted the answer to. “Where are we?”

“Shouldn’t you know? You’re the reason why we’re here, after all. Can’t wear black with that new hair colour.”

Rom’s grin was wrong, too wide and too cruel, as he took Shuu’s chin in his hand and turned it so that he could see his reflection once again. It wasn’t a trick of the light this time, his hair was definitely blond. As he raised a hand to examine his fringe, something tugged at his sleeve again, more violently this time. He looked down to see two writhing black tendrils of… something wrapped tightly around his forearm. He shook his arm frantically to get rid of them and turned back to Rom, but when Shuu tried to reach out for him, his hands passed through Rom’s body as if it were made of smoke. He tried again and again, half hoping that he’d just misjudged his aim in his panic, but he still couldn’t touch Rom. Rom seemed completely unconcerned, merely giving Shuu another one of those sickening grins as he watched him struggle. “You should give up, it’s not going to let you go.” 

“What are you talking…?” With rising dread, Shuu turned to face the street behind them, or what was left of it. Where they had been walking was now only darkness and it was getting closer, creeping tentacles of inky black reaching out and consuming everything they touched as they advanced on Shuu. One looped around his ankle, knocking him off balance and pulling him to the ground as he tried to kick it away. Every time he succeeded in getting rid of one, another one appeared, then two, then three, twisting their way along his limbs and into the fur of his tail once again. As he frantically struggled, Shuu knew he couldn’t keep fighting them forever, there were too many and they were too strong – despite their shadowy, seemingly insubstantial, appearance, they felt like wire once coiled around his body and were just as impossible to break away from.

Shuu had one last hope. He looked up at Rom, who was stood there just watching with an impassive look on his face. Like he didn’t even care… Why wasn’t he doing anything? Shuu reached out a hand imploringly. “Rom, please!”

“You want help? But you’ve made it so clear you don’t need me…” Rom felt solid enough as he pressed down on Shuu’s shoulders and pushed him backwards into the advancing mass, preventing any chance of escape. “Goodbye, ShuuZo.”

The tendrils looped around Shuu’s waist thicker and faster than ever, speeding up as they inched their way up his body and curled past his face, until they gagged his mouth, preventing him from calling out for Rom one last time as he was dragged backwards into the dark.

***

The blinking light of the clock said it was 5am. ShuuZo groaned and rolled onto his back, reaching out for a pack of cigarettes that wasn’t there. Of course, management had put a stop to that, hadn’t they? He sighed and grabbed his water bottle instead, taking a quick swig that spilled onto his chest. It wasn’t the same, but it would have to do.

How long had it been since he’d last had that dream? He’d thought he had been done with it, but… It was his own fault. He’d been the one stupid and selfish enough to suggest Rom’s new band as a support when the other act had fallen ill, but seeing Rom again – no, seeing Rom walk right past him as if he wasn’t even there – had been enough to bring all those old feelings of guilt back.

Still, what exactly had he been expecting? That Rom would take one look at him and sweep ShuuZo back up into his arms, everything forgiven? He sat up and hugged his knees to his chest, looking over at the empty spot next to him. Yeah, that plan had worked. 

Tears began to sting at the corners of his eyes, and ShuuZo shook his head quickly to get rid of the thought. This was what he wanted after all, right? It was just… 

Nobody had told him success was so lonely.


End file.
